Athena faced me with her hand on her chest. "Are you insinuating that my brother’s a criminal?"
"N-No, I—"
She broke into a pearl of laughter. I just stared at her, confused as she basked in amusement for a whole minute.
"You should have seen your face there!"
"Athena, this is not funny. What I want is nothing but the truth. To know exactly what I signed up for and—"
"Hey..." She sat beside me, holding my hand. "You’re shaking."
"I’m fine, just cold, I guess."
Athena grabbed her fur shoulder drape and tucked it between my arms. "This should keep you warm just a little bit."
"Thanks..." I murmured.
"Trust me, my sweet Cat." She stroked my cheek. "Sometimes when we say we want the truth, in reality, we don’t mean it."
Does this mean she wasn’t gonna tell me anything?
"Don’t worry... Ares doesn’t work for the mafia. That sounds silly." She giggled, helping me rise to my feet, still holding my hands. "Let’s go back. You can sit with me so that Ares doesn’t take a bite of you like a piece of meat."
How reassuring.
The rest of the night was spent watching numerous performances, speeches, and so on. Mentally, I wasn’t following anything, and it was a blur for me, all working past their time while I remained still.
On cue, I had to fix my smile and act as if I was a perfect wife, completely entranced by her husband.
I couldn’t even recall when we got in the limo. I clenched Ares’ jacket, which he had draped over my shoulder earlier.
When we arrived at the penthouse, Ares kept his hand pinned on my waist as if to keep me from leaving his side.
But the instant we passed my room door, I peeled myself away from him and scurried for it, fixing the locks with haste the minute I got in.
I rest my back against the solid hardwood and slide down to sit, mentally and physically drained.
I ran a hand through my hair before releasing a heavy exhale. I didn’t know where I had the strength to stand, take off my eye contacts, Ares’ jacket, fur, gloves, and kick off my heels.
I successfully made it to the bed and collapsed like a log.
I don’t know how long I was asleep for, but I’m having a hard time resting because of the piercing pain shooting through me like a storm.
I toss and turn on my bed, groaning, going into a fatal position as I clenched my abdomen. I rasped when it felt like I couldn’t breathe.
Why does it hurt so much?
I forced open my eyes, almost having a heart attack. I sat up with a start, driving backwards until my back met the headboard.
I was certain I locked the damn door. What the fuck is he doing there, sitting comfortably on my couch? Loki was resting on his lap, purring as he petted him.
"H-How did you get inside my room?"
That pain came again, and I groaned. This was far worse than it was earlier. I gripped the sheets hard, dipping my head.
"Your period’s here."
"What?" I mumbled, taking off my covers to see the map of red.
My stupid ass didn’t figure it out. How could I? It came late this time, like the red sea. I’m a bloody mess.
I glared at Ares before forcing myself to move. "Excuse me."
I need to take care of myself. I have been ruined throughout the night, and having him see me like this was the last hold for me.
I didn’t even get the chance to get out of bed as Ares suddenly picked me up in his arms.
"What are you doing?" I tried to fight him, but I recalled his wound.
I wonder how he could carry me in his condition. But, of course, this was the same man who ate me out with a bleeding wound.
"I’m not gonna eat you if you’re afraid. Unless you want me to."
This disgusting—!
"I’m more concerned you’re gonna shoot me."
"You held a gun to my head. We’re even now, baby."
Ares walked out of my room, straight to his. When we got to his bathroom, there was already a bath drawn.
He undressed me before picking me up again to put me inside the tub. It’s still warm.
Did he prepare this bath before barging into my room?
Earlier, when he mentioned my period, I hadn’t taken off the covers, yet he could tell.
As I watch Ares leave, stupid thoughts cloud my mind. The months I have been here, dark chocolates have been stacked in the fridge, weirdly, when I was on my period.
This water too... It was exactly the temperature I use, and the scent of the oil was the same, which didn’t make me nauseous.
Peppermint oil.
A shiver went up my spine. Ares knew my cycle. My mind was spiraling again, and with it came dizziness.
I kept pondering over the fact that maybe... just maybe... that Ares didn’t learn everything about me after the contract, it was too soon, and his knowledge was terrifyingly accurate.
Could it be that when I was his secretary, he retained everything about me?
I was nobody, and the devil never looked my way. I was a pound of flesh to get the job done; there wasn’t any attention towards me. How could there be?
The more I tried to think about it, the more a headache formed. I finally notice the bath caddy spanning the tub, holding a glass of water and painkillers. The same brand I always use.
Silencing the questions before my head exploded, I took the painkiller and water, reclining. I got tired, closing my eyes to sleep.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in Ares’ bed, a tampon already in place, and the warmth of a heating pad resting low on my belly.